Social media is no longer a new frontier in the world of marketing, and online content creation is now a staple of most marketing strategies. Consumers are thoroughly accustomed to interacting with brands online. Networks continue to become saturated by content intended to increase consumer lead generation, engage with their target audiences, build communities and position brands as leaders in their field. To overcome this saturation, diversifying your content creation and social media management is vital. You don’t want your marketing team’s hard work to get lost in the algorithm.
Disguise repetition
If your brand is clear on its key messaging, there are a multitude of ways to repeat yourself without sounding redundant or leaving your audience disengaged. Certain formats are more appealing to viewers across different platforms, so take advantage of all the tools you have available to get your message reverberating across all corners of the internet.
Sharing something as commonplace as announcing a software update can be expressed in myriad ways, solidifying the news among your followers without giving them fatigue for having read the same thing several times. Graphic design, video, and text all provide structures unique enough to disseminate the same information while disguising your objective of regurgitating the same content.
If appropriate, consider audio as a format to broadcast your brand messaging. Podcasting is not only a rapidly growing media sector, but also a great opportunity to include people whose screen time is inhibited due to reasons ranging from a long morning commute to vision impairment. Since 2006, the number of podcast listeners has increased by 46-million, and that number is expected to increase another 5-million by the end of 2022. If creating or maintaining a podcast is outside the scope of your capabilities, look for existing podcasts marginally related to the product or service you provide. Many podcast hosts welcome guests, and landing a guest spot on an industry-related show is an effective entry-point to raise brand awareness among new audiences.
Upcycle what you have
Creating brand new content across all of your social media platforms is a herculean task, and not every company has the means to do so. However, a singular piece of high-quality content can be a treasure trove when approached with skill and resourcefulness. Content creation, social media management, and diversification of your online presence doesn’t require a revolving pantry of fresh, unique ingredients—you just need to know how to cook.
Your social media team could record a short, dynamic, video interview with a trusted collaborator, add title cards, credits, and captions, and have a quick piece of content ready. Posting this to your Facebook page would share a solid testimonial from a satisfied customer. The savvy thing to do, however, would be to dissect those ten minutes of video and upcycle them into specialized content across all of your social media channels. Highlights and soundbites can be edited into very short-form clips for TikTok and Instagram stories. TikTok itself says that 25% of top-performing TikToks are between 21 and 34 seconds long. Significant quotes can be transcribed from the interview and inlaid over stills—or any other graphic design consistent with your brand—to create engaging images for your Instagram grid, blog, or newsletter.
Collaborate with consumers
Marketers and consumers agree that authenticity is important for a brand’s public perception, but are at odds about what content is most authentic. According to BusinessWire, “consumers are 2.4x more likely to say user-generated content (UGC) is authentic compared to brand-created content, while marketers are 2.1x more likely to say brand-created content is authentic compared to UGC.” User-generated content builds trust and credibility among your audience, and there are unlimited ways to engage your customers online.
Encouraging customers and employees to snap photos, write comments, and share videos displaying your product in action is a cost-effective way to generate content that your brand can share. Asking supporters to upload posts to social media that answer questions like when, where, why, and with whom they use your product—paired with a clever and unique hashtag, of course—supplies you with a cache of UGC. As an added bonus, this strategy also provides direct feedback from customers about how your product is being implemented in actuality. The insight that comes from diversifying content creation for social media management can be surprisingly valuable for product development or expanding your customer base to untapped markets as well.
Content creation may come easily to some and seem daunting to others. Whether you’re the former or the latter, consulting a social media management agency is an adept way to ensure that you’re approaching your social media strategy from a multitude of angles and diversifying the digital content you’re publishing.